Episode 4: The Mystery of the Missing Barkeep

You wake up refreshed from your sleep. You wake and gather your things from your rooms in the keep, and meet together. No one is waiting for you within the keep, so you begin to prepare for your departure. You eat a small breakfast.

Governor Nighthill told you last night that Leosin Erlanthar, the monk you rescued from the Cult of the Dragon, had bought 5 horses for you before he departed for Elturel. You head to the stables to collect them, and work out how you're going to transport Grim's body carefully so that the copper pieces on his eyes won't be displaced and break the Gentle Repose spell.

Once these arrangements are made, you set out to leave town, where you are greeted by a small mob of people cheering. Governor Nighthill, Castellan Markguth, and Markguth's very pregnant wife are at the front of the crowd. You also see Ahmed the alchemist, Linan Swift with her husband and children, Nameless Guard, and even Gara and Torrin. Gara and Torrin tell you that they've decided to stay here and help with repairs then settle down in a community that has accepted them, rather than continue the adventuring life.

All these people wish you the best and thank you for everything you've done to help Greenest. They cheer and wave until you crest a hill and can no longer see them.

OOC: How have you handled Grim's transportation, and which way do you go? You can take the straight cross-country route to the north, or you can take the road that goes the long way east, then north, then back west.

I just worry about rocky or hilly terrain that might jar the wagon. But I suppose there's a threat of attack by a spooky forest. Then again we shouldn't waste any time if we hope to revive Grim. I think the straight route is best.

You travel across the northern Greenfields. They are mostly rolling green hills - the tall plateaus of the southern Greenfields are not to be seen. There are trees here and there, and occasionally you see a farm - mostly growing grains and corn, though some seem to have gardens with other vegetables close to their houses. Some of the farmsteads are burned out with not a soul in sight. Others seem undamaged, but the few people you do see all quickly run away and disappear before you can get close to them. You suspect these isolated people may have been targeted by the Cult of the Dragon before it set its sights on a big target like Greenest.

Vala rides in the wagon with Grim's body while Mindartis drives the horses - while he has no particular skill at this, his natural understanding of animals make him better suited than anyone else. Riglin, Fade, and Erevenn ride on their horses nearby to/beside the wagon (unless you tell me otherwise, and you're welcome to specify exactly where in relation to the wagon and everyone else you want to be).

Do you want to do anything with one of the farmsteads, or just keep going?

Riglin rides close to the wagon with his own riding steed. While he isn't quite an expert in animal handling, he does know how to communicate with the wildlife being a gnome, and every once in awhile he does his best to speak encouraging words to the beasts of burden, as well as keeping track of how they feel. It was imperative that they be kept in tip top shape, since they relied on them to carry Grim to their destination.

When Riglin notices the reaction from the people on the farmsteads, he wrinkles his brow in thought, before speaking to the others, "These people seemed spooked by our appearance. We should probably make haste before we attract too much attention to ourselves."

About halfway through your journey (3 days in), you set up camp for the night. It is a full moon out, and you hear wolves howling far to the west. It sounds like they're close to the edge of the Wood of Sharp Teeth, where you would be if you hadn't taken the slightly curved route. Otherwise, nothing eventful happens on your journey.

Mid-afternoon on the 6th day, you crest a hill. Before you is Chionthar River, and on its far bank is the city of Elturel. The city's most prominent feature is the giant, shining orb that floats above the city - a relic from the city's time as the capital of Elturgard.

Even from this distance, you can see that the city is bustling - even more than you would expect for a city of this size. It seems to be bursting at the seams with folk.

You descend to the river, where a ferryman at the dock offers you a ride across to the city for ten gold pieces - 1 per person, plus several for the horses and wagon.

Riglin is relieved to have such an uneventful trip. While it wasn't like they couldn't handle trouble on the roads, it still meant that the body of the human cleric did not come to any harm from the boring trip. Their destination was easily in sight, and all it took was a ferry ride across. Riglin easily coughs up the gold coin needed for his own passage, and waits for the others to do the same.